Had their hope ended?

It was quiet. The day ended differently than it started. The events of the previous night boiled over as the sun rose. The crowd, who shouted, “crucify him,” was now lining the road as he carried his cross. Stumbling and weary, he finally made it to the hill where the crucifixion was to take place.

The crowd followed cheering and mocking, but there were some who followed at a distance. They were grieving and horrified, and they were wondering if hope had ended. They were confused and perplexed. They had hoped in him, but now he was being put to death.

As these followers processed their thoughts in the noise of the crowd, the events of the day rolled on. The horizontal and vertical pieces of the cross were put together. His feet were fastened in place, and as the soldiers waited, they played dice for his clothes. The climax of the day came at noon.

“By this time, it was about noon and darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock. The light from the sun was gone, and suddenly the curtain in the temple was torn down the middle,” records Luke 23. “Then Jesus shouted, ‘Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands,’ and with those words, he breathed his last. When the Roman officer overseeing the execution saw what had happened, he worshipped God and said, ‘Surely this man was innocent.’ And when all the crowd that came to see the crucifixion saw what had happened, they went home in deep sorrow, but Jesus friends, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance watching.”

Everyone went home. An overwhelming feeling of sorrow captured them. What had they done? Was hope gone?

It was Friday evening, and they did not understand in a few hours Sunday morning would arrive. Those searching for hope will soon be filled with overwhelming joy. The did not understand hope was not lost.

Hope is shared today because of the events started on that Friday.

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